Love to be outside the ropes for a while

Love to be outside the ropes for a while

Love to be outside the ropes for a while

A rib injury might keep Davis Love III off the PGA Tour until next month.

Love, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for this fall’s biennial matches against the Europeans at Medinah, Ill., aggravated an old injury during the third round of last month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Speaking by phone from his home in Sea Island, Ga., Love pointed to a snowboarding accident March 9 as the likely source of the injury.

Love was even par through 54 holes of the Arnold Palmer Invitational but withdrew before the final round, citing pain in his left side. He has posted two top-25 finishes in five starts this season.

“I went and got a full physical, and I just wanted to get another opinion on how bad was it,” said Love, who turns 48 on April 13. “All they did was an X‑ray, and they’re still debating whether it’s cracked (rib) or I pulled a muscle.”

Love had committed to play this week’s RBC Heritage in Hilton Head Island, S.C., where he has racked up five of his 20 Tour victories, but instead will let the injury fully heal. He hopes to return for the April 26-29 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but the next week’s Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C., could be more likely.

“If I’m up and walking, you would never know anything is wrong,” Love said. “I can do a little bit of stuff, but I can’t swing.”